Pump for heterogeneous mixtures



June 13, 1950 E. H. JOHANNES PUMP FOR HETEROGENEOUS MIXTURES 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 11, 1947 June 13, 1950 I H. JOHANNES 2,511 ,637

PUMP FOR HETEROGENEOUS MIXTURES 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 11, 1947 June 13, 1950 y E. H. 1.. JOHANNES 1 PUMP FOR HETEROGENEOUS MIXTURES Filed Feb. 11, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 June 13, 1950 H.- JOHANNES 2,511,637

PUMP FOR-HETEROGENEOUS MIXTURES Filed Fet a. 11, 1947 P s Sheets-Sheet 4 June 13, 1950 E. H. L. JOHANNES 2,511,637

PUMP FOR HETEROGENEOUS MIXTURES Filed Feb. 11, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented June 13, 1950 PUliIP FOR HETEROGENEOUS MIXTURES Erich H. L. Johannes, Audubon, N. J assignor to Campbell Soup Company, Camden, N. .L, a corporation of New Jersey Application February 11, 1947, Serial No. 727,801

4 Claims.

This invention relates primarily to apparatus for transferring soup or the like from a mobile or other bulk container to the hopper of a caniilling machine, although the invention may find useful application to other transfer operations involving, particularly, liquids, such as soups, which contain solids susceptible to disintegration under the influence of the moving elements of the more conventional forms of pumping apparatus.

A principal object of the invention is to provide a generally improved pumping apparatus adapted for eflicient handling of soups and like flowable substances, with or without a solids content, and. adapted particularly for the transfer of said substances from bulk containers to the filling machines for deposition in the cans in which such substances are conventionally distributed to the ultimate consumer.

More particularly, the invention resides in certain novel details of apparatus, both mechanical and structural, and in the related control devices whereby the apparatus is made to function in automatic manner for the desired purposes, all as hereinafter fully described.

In the attached drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of apparatus made in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view in perspective of one of the elements of the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 and 2; Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the apparatus showing details of the pump-actuating devices; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the upper portion of the apparatus shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of a. portion of the apparatus shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. '7 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 'l'l, Fig. 4;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view on the line 8-8, Fig. '7;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the lower portion of the tank shown in Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a side elevational and partial sectional view of an element of the apparatus;

Fig. 11 is an end view of the element shown in Fig. 10; and v Fig. 12 is a diagrammatic view showing the details of the electrical control system.

With reference to the drawings, the numeral l indicates the hopper of a can-filling machine, and 2 is a bulk container for soup or the like located in proximity to said machine. In the present instance the container is mounted on wheels 3, and is adapted to be moved with its 2 contents into the position indicated from a remote point.

The apparatus of the present invention comprises as an essential element a trap tank 4 which in the present instance is suspended by suitable means in fixed position above the hopper I, said tank comprising a discharge nozzle 5 positioned so that the tank may empty by gravity flow of its contents to the hopper.

Associated with the tank 4 is an evacuating system which, as best shown in Fig. 4, comprises an exhauster 6 of the fluid-ejector type, said exhauster being actuated in the present instance by steam supplied from a header 1 and discharging into an exhaust header 8. The exhauster i is connected to the top of the trap tank 4 by pipes 9, l0 and H, and when steam is admitted to the exhauster 6, suction is applied through these pipes to the tank, in obvious manner.

Also connected to the upper part of the tank 4 is a duct l2 which is adapted for insertion into the container 2. In order that the suction applied to the tank 4 by the exhauster 6 may be effective with respect to the duct I2, the discharge port l3 at the terminal end of the nozzle 5 is provided with a check valve l4 adapted to close automatically when the suction is applied to the tank and permitting free flow of the contents of the tank from the nozzle 5 when the suction is relieved. It will be apparent from the foregoing description that evacuation of the tank 4 by the exhauster 6 will result in an application of suction to the duct l2, and, assuming that the outer terminal end of the duct is immersed in the soup, as shown, in transfer of the soup from the container 2 to the tank 4. When this suction is terminated, by means hereinafter described-the soup contained in the trap tank will pass by gravity flow to the hopper I.

In conjunction with the apparatus described above, means is provided for effecting an intermittent actuation of the exhauster 6 and a. breaking of the resulting partial vacuum in the tank 4 at the termination of each such actuation. The control system by which this intermittent operation is obtained comprises a solenoid valve IS in the pipe l6 which connects the exhauster 6 with the steam supply header 1, together with a solenoid-actuated venting valve I! which is associated with the pipe H, and through the communicating pipes I0 and 9 with the trap tank 4. As hereinafter more fully described, energization of the solenoid actuator l8 of the valve I5 is controlled by a timing switch, indicated generally in Fig. 12 by the reference numeral l9, and

' 3 this timing switch also controls energization of the solenoid actuator 2| of the venting valve H. The timing switch I9 is regulated so as to afiord intermittent operations of the exhauster 6 of suiflcient individual duration to withdraw in each case a quantity of soup from the container 2 sumcient to adequately fill the tank 4, and the actuation of the solenoid 2i occurs simultaneously with the deenergizations of the solenoid l8. In other words, when the valve I5 is open, admitting steam to the exhauster 6, the valve I1 is closed; and when flow of steam to the exhauster 6 is interrupted by closing of the valve [5, the valve I1 is then opened. The effect of this operation is to intermittently withdraw predetermined quantities of the contents of the container 2 to the trap tank 4 and, subsequently, to permit gravity flow from the tank 4 to the hopper I.

The control system comprises also a means for maintaining the supply of soup in the hopper t'between predetermined high and low levels. This device comprises a pair of electrodes 22 and 23 which extend into the top of the hopper I.

The" lower endof the electrode 22 is at a position c'orrespomiingto the permissible high level of soup in the hopper; and the lower end of the electrode 23 is positioned approximately at the desired low level. The electrodes are connected in the system in such manner as to take over control when the level of the soup in the tank 5 has reached the electrode 22 and to interrupt the operation of the apparatus until the liquid level has again droppedto the point where the soup loses contact withthe electrode 23. At this point by a band 2'! of rubber, preferably synthetic,

which encircles the tank body as illustrated in Fig. 8. 'The upper sectioh'24 of the tank has secured to the outside thereof a sleeve 28, and a corresponding sleeve 29 is attached to the lower section 25. These sleeves are arranged on the respective tank sections so that when the said sections are brought together in normal position,'as illustrated in Fig. 8, the said sleeves will be irl'alig'ninent with each other, with the lower end orthe sleeve 28'ab'utting the upper end of thesleeve 29. A bolt "33 extends through the two Sleeves With thehead 34 0f the bolt seated in a counter sunk recess'35 at the upper end of the sleeve 28; and; the lower projecting end of thebolt' receives a nut 36 which, when tightened,

secures the sleeves 28 and 29 together in' their aligned relation. A'flanged liner 3! fitted into a counterhore in the lower end of the sleeve 29 tonne asset for the nut at, and this together with I a second liner 3i in a'counter bored recess 32 in the upper end of the sleeve 2'9 journal this sleeve "on the bolts; and provide for swinging the lower section of the tank, after the sealing band 21 has been displaced from the joint,- about thebolt 33 as a pintle into a position, indicated in broken lines on Figs. land 8, clear of the top section 24 for inspection and cleaning or the tank interior. As previously indicated, the tank is suspended from the pipe 9, the lower end of which is secured,

through the duct [2.

as by welding, to the top section 24 of the tank. The upper end of the pipe is blocked off by a partition 22, see Fig. 6, and is welded to the lower end of pipe section 30 which is suspended in suitable manner from a fixed structure indicated at 4%. The lower end of the pipe 9 is braced by a strut 5%] which is anchored to the fixed structure 6% of the filling machine, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4.

With further reference to Figs. '7 and 8 of the drawings, it will be noted that the duct 12 includes a terminal portion 38 integral with and in substantially tangential position with respect to the tank section 24, so that the duct will discharge into the tank in a tangential direction. Interiorly the section 24 of the tank is provided with a depending bafile 39 which forms, with the side wall of said section, a channel for reception of said tangential discharge. The bafile 39 functions in obvious manner to effectively separate the intake port 4| of the tank from the suction'port 42 so as to avoid withdrawal through the suction pipe 9 of the substances drawn into the tank As arranged, the baflle 39, which in the present instance extends downwardly approximately to the lower edge of the tank section 24, performs this function without interfering with the free passage of liquid into the tank through the duct l2.

With reference more particularly to Figs. 1, 2- and 41, it will be noted that the duct l2 includes an intermediate section 43 which, through the medium of a flexible union 44, is adapted to swivel in a vertical plane which, in the present instance, is normal to the longitudinal center line of the terminal section 38 of the duct. The duct also includes an outer end section 45 which is connected to the lower end of the intermediate section 43 by a flexible union 46 so as to swivel about the lower offset end of the intermediate section 43 in a second and parallel vertical plane. This end section 45 is provided with a handle element 41. With the aforedescribed arrangement the duct [2 is afforded a high degree of flexibility of adjustment and is well adapted for insertion in and withdrawal from the container 2 and for location of the free end of the duct in a most favorable position or positions within the container. Thus when the container is full it is generally desirable to withdraw the liquid from a point well above the bottom of the container, and to this end a bracket 48 is provided (see Fig. 3) having means for suspension within the container from the upper edge of the latter, as best shown in Fig. 1, for supporting the free end of the section 45 of the duct 12 in an elevated position in the container. Subsequently, as the level of the soup is reduced, the terminal end of the duct 12 may be unseated from the bracket 48 and lowered to the bottom of the tank or to a lower level, the flexibility of the duct [2 described above greatly facilitating this operation.

When the apparatus is idle, or when one of the containers 2 is being replaced by another, the swivel union 46 permits the section 45 of the duct l2 to be turned upwardly into a substantially vertical position in which it may be retained by a latch 49 in the form of a pivotally suspended rod which normally hangs freely in the position illustrated in Fig. 1, and which may be elevated, as shown in broken lines in Fig. 4, for insertion in a clip 52 on the duct section 45 to thereby retain the said section in the substantially upright position.

In the horizontal run 53 of the duct 12, which extends between the upper swivel union 44 and the terminal section 38, is a magnetic trap 54, the function of which is to remove from the stream of soup passing to the tank 4, any particles of magnetizable metal which inadvertently may have entered the soup during processing. The details of the trap 54 are illustrated in Figs. and 11 wherein it will be noted that the trap chamber 55 is provided with a depending baffle 55 which separates the intake 51 of the chamber from the discharge port 58. Thebaflie serves to direct the material flowing through the chamber 55 toward the bottom of the chamber into proximity to the bottom metallic wall 59. This wall has a permanent magnet 6i secured to the underside thereof by means of screws 62 which serves to attract and to separate out from the stream of soup or other substance the aforesaid contaminating metal particles. In the present instance the bottom wall 59, with the attached magnet, is detachably secured to the body of the trap 54 through the medium of swivel screws 63 and associated wing nuts 64 whereby the entire bottom wall may be readily removed for cleaning purposes.

Referring to Figs. '7, 8 and 9, it will be noted that the valve M, which constitutes a closure for the discharge opening l3 of the tank 4 as previously described, consists of an upper section 65 which has at its upper end transversely projecting trunnion elements 66 which rest freely in slotted openings 61 in brackets 68 secured to the upper edge of the nozzle 5. The section 55 terminates short of the lower end of the port l3, and a lower section 69 is provided which is hinged to the upper section 65 of the valve and which, with the said upper section, covers the entire discharge port. The elements 55 have sufficient play in the openings 6! to permit the valve M to adjust itself readily and accurately to the opening I3.

The manner in which the lower section 59 of the valve is hinged to the lower edge portion of the upper section 55 is best illustrated in Figs.

8 and 9. As shown in the first of these figures, Y

the upper edge of the section 69 closely abuts the lower edge of the upper section 65 when the valve occupies the normal closed position. The hinge pin H which holds the two sections together extends through hinge sockets l2, l3 and M on the outside of said sections, the socket 12 being centrally arranged and being carried by the upper section 65, and the sections 13 and 14 being the lower section and being located one at each side of and contiguous to the ends of the socket 12 so as to provide in effect a continuous socket extending across the full width of the valve plate. The sockets are also arranged so as to directly overlie the joint between the two valve sections so that when the joint is closed, as in Figs. 8 and 9, the sockets help to seal the joint.

The suspension of the valve, including the position of the slot 61, is such that, hanging freely as described above and as shown in Fig. 8, the inner plane face of the valve l4 will lie flatly against the outer edge of a cylindrical sleeve 75 which projects from the outer end of the nozzle 5 and defines the said discharge port l3. Thus, when suction is applied to the tank as previously described, the valve M will lie against the outer end of the sleeve and will effectively seal the discharge port l3. When the suction is relieved, however, the valve l4 will immediately open under the pressure of the fluid contents of the tank and will permit said contents to flow freely by gravity from the discharge port i3. When, as the tank empties, the volume and weight of the liquid against the valve I4 progressively decreases, the lower section 69 of the valve will remain open under the reduced pressure and will exert a minimum restraint to the free passage of the residual fluid from the tank.

It sometimes happens that when, after completion of the gravity discharge phase described above, the suction is reapplied to the tank, a particle or particles of the solids content of the soup will be caught between the edge of the sleeve and the lower part of the valve 14, and will by preventing full closing of the valve permit air to enter the tank through the discharge port 4 3 and thereby prevent formation in the tank of the required degree of vacuum. It will be noted that the articulated construction of the valve will, under these conditions, permit the upper and major portion of the valve to close tightly so that the air-admitting gap will be confined entirely to the lower section 69 and will thereby be reduced to a point where the force of the suction acting on the section 69 will be sufliciently great to draw this section also to its seat by crushing and disintegrating the said interfering solid particle or particles. This is a primary function of the articulated valve structure.

The electrical control system for the apparatus, functioning generally as described above, is illustrated in Fig. 12. Referring to Fig. 12, the solenoids I8 and 2| are controlled by the system shown, the operating voltage therefor being derived from an alternating current source, connected to terminals 16 by way of transformer 11. A master relay or contactor 18 is under control of a normally-open starting switch l9 and a normally-closed stopping switch 80. It will be noted that when the starting switch 19 is closed, the winding 8! of relay I8 is connected across the secondary of transformer TI through switch 80. Contacts 82 of relay 18 are connected across the starting switch 19 and serve to lock the relay in when the starting switch is momentarily closed. Contacts 83 and 84 of relay l8 serve to control the entire electrical system. Once the relay I8 is actuated by the momentary closure of starting switch 19, it remains energized until the stopping switch 89 is opened. A lamp 85 indicates the energized condition of relay 18, being connected across the main conductors 85 and 81.

A second transformer 88 has its primary winding connected across conductors 86 and 81 so as to be energized whenever relay 18 is energized. The transformer 88 supplies a suitable voltage to a rectifier network 89 of conventional form. It will be noted that the input terminals of the rectifier network are connected to the secondary winding of transformer 88, the lower connection being through current limiting resistors 99 and 9!, while the output terminals of the rectifier network are connected to the winding 92 of a relay 93. Relay 93 serves, in conjunction with another relay 94, to control the energization of a third relay 95 which is intermittently energized bythe timing switch I 9 to effect alternate energization of the solenoids I8 and 2|.

It will be noted that the contacts 96 of relay 93 are in circuit with the winding 91 of relay 94, so that when relay 93 is energized it effects energization of relay 94. The latter relay has a pair of normally-closed contacts 98 which are connected respectively to the electrodes 22 and 23,

one of the contacts 98 also being connected through conductor 99 to the upper input terminal of the rectifier network 89. Relay 94 also has a pair of normally-open contacts 100 which control the connection of supply conductor 86 to relay 95. The metallic hopper I is electrically connected via conductor Hll to the junction of resistors 90 and 9|.

Relay 95 has a pair of normally-closed contacts I62 which are included in circuit with solenoid 2|, and this relay also has a pair of normallyopen contacts I93 in circuit with solenoid l8. It will be seen therefore that when relay 94 is energized, the intermittent energization of relay 95 by the timing switch i9 effects alternate energization of the solenoids i8 and 2!. The energizing circuits for the solenoids may be readily traced from supply conductor 81 through the contacts of relay 95 and through contacts mof relay 94 to the other supply conductor 86. An indicating lamp its serves to indicate the energized condition of relay 94, thus indicating that the system is operative.

Assuming that the master relay i8 is energized, the relay 95 will be energized when the level of the soup in hopper i is below the lower electrode 23. The reason for this will appear presently. Assuming that the soup level is below electrode 23, the rectifier 89 is effective to energize relay 93 which, in turn, causes energization of relay E ZJ Relay 95 is then efiective to energize the solenoids l8 and 2! under control of the timing switch I?! as above mentioned.

As the level of the soup in hopper l rises and the soup engages the lower electrode 23, the system continues to operate since relay a l is energized and the electrode 23 has no effect. If the soup rises until it engages the upper electrode 22, however, a circuit is completed through the soup in shunt with the rectifier network 89, such circuit including conductor 10!, the soup in hopper l, electrode 22, and conductor 99. This causes deenergization of relay 92 and consequent deenergization of relay 94, thereby rendering relay 95 inoperative. When the level of the soup in hopper l falls below electrode 22 but still engages electrode 23, the system will remain inoperative because the above-mentioned shunt circuit is maintained through electrode 23 and the armature of relay 94. When the level of the soup in hopper l falls below electrode 23, the shunt circuit is opened and the system automatically commences to operate. It will be recalled that the master relay i8 is locked in, and therefore as soon as the shunt circuit is opened the relay 93 is energized and it energizes relay 94.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that the electrical system shown in Fig. 12 automatically controls the operation of the apparatus according to the level of the soup in hopper l, causing the apparatus to become operative whenever the level of the soup is below electrode 23, and rendering the apparatus inoperative whenever the level of the soup reaches the upper electrode 22, after which the apparatus is prevented from operating until the soup level falls below the electrode 23. It will be apparent, of course, that the shunt circuit established through the soup in hopper I by way of the electrodes must reduce the current flow through the winding of relay 93 sufl'iciently to cause that relay to drop out. This is insured by proper design of the system.

The invention provides a relatively simple and highly eiiicient transfer apparatus, including a pump device, well adapted, through avoidance of rapidly moving impeller parts and the use solely of suction means in the displacement operation, to the handling of soup and like fluid substances without destructive action upon any solids which might be present.

It will be apparent that any number of units of the apparatus described above each complete in itself may be operatively connected to the headers 1 and 8 for the servicing by independent operation of a corresponding number of filling machines. Where such multiple apparatus is required it has been found convenient to arrange the units in associated pairs, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, with the suction ducts l2 of the units extended to a common median position with respect to the two filling machines so that both of the ducts may be inserted in a single container 2. Thus, two such containers may be used alternately to feed the two associated filling machines, and by bringing the containers into alternative positions respectively at opposite sides of the said median position, as illustrated, the shifting of the ducts from one to the other may be accomplished with a minimum loss of time.

In Figs. 1 and 2 the elements of the second of the two units thus associated have been indicated by the same reference numerals used to identify the corresponding elements of the first unit but with the added character a in each case to distinguish the references of the two groups from each other. It will be noted that the upper unions 44 and Mia are positioned in proximity to each other, and that the sections 4311, and 45a of the duct l2a in eifect parallel and closely adjoin the sections 43 and 45 of the duct l2 but are adjustable independently. The manner in which both of the end sections 45 and 45a are adjustable into the single container 2 is clearly illustrated, as also, in broken lines, is the manner in which both end sections may be swung over into the adjoining container 2a. The latch bar 49 is in this case actually suspended at 5! from a boss on the duct section 43a, and the intermediate section 43 and the end section 45a are provided with clips, 10' and 52a respectively, which are arranged in alignment with the clip 52 for reception of the latch bar 49 when the end sections are to be maintained in the elevated positions, as shown in Fig. 4.

I claim:

1. In apparatus for transferring soup or the like from bulk containers to the hopper of a canfilling machine, a trap tank having a discharge port arranged so that the tank may empty by gravity flow of its liquid content to said hopper, tank evacuating system including suction means connected to the tank and a check valve for said discharge port, means for intermittently actuating sair suction means and for breaking the resulting partial vacuum at the termination of each actuation, said actuating means including a timing device for controlling the frequency and duration of said actuations, means responsive to changes in the level of the liquid content of said hopper for controlling actuation of the suction means independently of said timing device, and a duct connected to and forming suction intake means for the tank and flexibly adjustable with respect to said tank for insertion in and withdrawal from said containers.

2. Transfer apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the said suction means includes a fluid actuated exhauster, and the said intermittent actuating and vacuum breaking means include a valve controlling flow of actuating fluid to the exhauster and a valve controlled vent for the trap tank, both said control valves under control of said timing device.

3. In apparatus for transferring soup or the like from bulk containers to the hopper of a can filling machine, a, trap tank having a discharge port arranged so that the tank may empty by gravity flow of its liquid content to said hopper, a tank evacuating system including suction means connected to the tank and a check valve for said discharge port, means for intermittently actuating said suction means and for breaking the resulting partial vacuum at the termination of each actuation, said actuating means including a timing device for controlling the frequency and duration of said actuations, a duct connected to and forming suction intake means for the tank, and means for operatively connecting the duct with said containers.

4. In apparatus for transferring soup or the like from bulk containers to the hopper of a can filling machine, a trap tank having a discharge port arranged so that the tank may empty by gravity flow of its liquid content to said hopper, a tank evacuating system including a fluid actuated exhauster connected to the tank and a check valve for said discharge port, means for intermittently actuating said exhauster and for breaking the resulting partial vacuum at the termination 10 of each actuation said intermittent actuating means including a valve controlling flow of actuating fluid to the exhauster and a valve controlled vent for the trap tank together with means for synchronized operation of said control valves, a duct connected to and forming suction intake means for the tank and flexibly adjustable with respect to said tank, and means for operatively connecting the duct with said containers.

ERICH H. L. J OHANNES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

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